Springboard Entrepreneurship Development Initiative
Springboard is a network of organic Cocoa, Plantain and Rice smallholder farmers in Nigeria.
Since 2008, Springboard has been working with rural farmers, women and youth to help turn their farms into profitable and sustainable enterprises in over 100 communities in Nigeria. Currently with over 3000 farmers within its network, Springboard runs a market-based solution for smallholder farmers to become thriving farm owners and for rural youth to develop interest in agribusiness. Their model empowers small scale farmers through a Cooperative movement that helps farmers in Nigeria capture most of the value chain through sustainably growing and selling more food.
By 2030, Springboard envisions to have 100,000 empowered farmers in its network across Nigeria growing organic cocoa, plantain and rice, each farmer making over USD 1,500 annually with over 1 million family members of these farmers benefitting from the improved income.
The MCFEA has been supporting Springboard since 2015 to promote Organic Farm and Entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Springboard has been providing training for farmers including youth and women for improving their employability. In 2017, the Farm to School Africa project, which currently has over 5000 students across Nigeria, was launched with the main objective of working with high schools to connect students with food, nutrition, community and agri-business.